Lift superstructures are known which are designed to lift a vehicle for observation and/or repair, as in an auto service station or garage, for example. Normally the superstructure is mounted on the piston of a hydraulic system, which raises the superstructure after the vehicle has positioned itself above the appropriate points on the superstructure, and which is allowed to descend after work or observation is completed.
Typically the superstructure comprises a nearly-square bolster plate, or bolster, mounted on the top of the lift piston, with horizontally-pivotable swing arms each mounted near a different corner of the plater. While satisfactory for many purposes, the relatively large area of bolster does tend to obscure a substantial portion of the underside of the vehicle while the lift is in use, in some cases seriously interfering with the observation or work which it is desired to perform on the vehicle. However, if the bolster is merely made smaller in area, it will not in general have sufficient strength, nor provide sufficient support for the swing arms which lie against its top.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a new and useful vehicle-lift superstructure.
Another object is to provide such a superstructure utilizing a bolster of reduced area, thereby to reduce the area of the underside of the vehicle which the bolster obscures during use.
It is also an object of the invention to provide such a superstructure incorporating a safety arrangement to protect against damage in the event that one or more of the pivots for the swing arms should break.